The 2017 Women's Keelboat State Championships
A wonderful opportunity to see what the Blackwall Reach can do for fleet sailing on the Foundation 36's as eight teams get into the water this year to battle their hearts out for the title of Champion boat for 2017. Last year they were battling for sheep stations and there's no doubt that they'll be doing the same again. This year, we have some clubs doubling up with both of the Royals putting two teams on the water.. Are they just hungry for the gold, or is the competition inside the club the motivating factor?
No matter .. we have 6 clubs represented. Hillarys, Fremantle, South of Perth, Royal Perth, Freshie, and of course the host club East Fremantle.
Smokey Days.......
Never - Ever - underestimate the vagaries of the weather.
As I drove toward the club, I reached the crest of the hill and looked behind me and saw the red hued sun rising through the smoky dawn. Our firies had been at work again, with burn offs creating a pall of smoke trapped under an inversion layer. And it wasn't going to go away in a hurry.
Stepping into the club, the buzz was palpable. Eight teams of ladies with a good lay out of mini muffins and tank coffee to enjoy, they were sharing the goss of the last few days since they'd last met up. Nodding left and right I made my way to check in with the management so that I had a ride for the day and then took the chance to capture one or two shots of the Reach shrouded in smoke. Back upstairs Swan River Sailing's Andy Fethers and EFYC Commodore Danny O'Byrne took to the floor and got the show underway with the welcome and briefing for the entrants.
All over and away the teams went to their allotted boats with the smoke still thick on the water. We had a nor easter of about 5 to 8 knots at best and a current that had it's own mind. Definitely a spot for the locals to show their stuff.
I'll not discuss much of the sailing as there is a lot to say, I'd simply like to congratulate Mara Lowry and her team from SoPYC for a last gasp win and it was the brilliant down wind run on the first leg of the last race that took them to the lead and to the win for the regatta. I also hope that the SoPYC girls bought the East Fremantle team a bottle of bubbles as if they had not come second, rather than Adele Jackson from Freshie 1, it would have been all over and Freshie would have taken the cake home.
The next Women's Keelboat State Championships event is, I believe, at RFBYC on the 19th of May 2018.
See you there.
Many thanks to Mike from Swan River Sailing who bumped me around the Blackwall Reach and with Andy Fethers, provided a wonderful private commentary on the day. Many thanks as ever to the volunteers of East Fremantle for the work put in to make the event happen and of course the umpires and sailors without whom we would not have had the regatta.
Enjoy the pictures and yes of course.... they are for sail> :-)
No matter .. we have 6 clubs represented. Hillarys, Fremantle, South of Perth, Royal Perth, Freshie, and of course the host club East Fremantle.
Smokey Days.......
Never - Ever - underestimate the vagaries of the weather.
As I drove toward the club, I reached the crest of the hill and looked behind me and saw the red hued sun rising through the smoky dawn. Our firies had been at work again, with burn offs creating a pall of smoke trapped under an inversion layer. And it wasn't going to go away in a hurry.
Stepping into the club, the buzz was palpable. Eight teams of ladies with a good lay out of mini muffins and tank coffee to enjoy, they were sharing the goss of the last few days since they'd last met up. Nodding left and right I made my way to check in with the management so that I had a ride for the day and then took the chance to capture one or two shots of the Reach shrouded in smoke. Back upstairs Swan River Sailing's Andy Fethers and EFYC Commodore Danny O'Byrne took to the floor and got the show underway with the welcome and briefing for the entrants.
All over and away the teams went to their allotted boats with the smoke still thick on the water. We had a nor easter of about 5 to 8 knots at best and a current that had it's own mind. Definitely a spot for the locals to show their stuff.
I'll not discuss much of the sailing as there is a lot to say, I'd simply like to congratulate Mara Lowry and her team from SoPYC for a last gasp win and it was the brilliant down wind run on the first leg of the last race that took them to the lead and to the win for the regatta. I also hope that the SoPYC girls bought the East Fremantle team a bottle of bubbles as if they had not come second, rather than Adele Jackson from Freshie 1, it would have been all over and Freshie would have taken the cake home.
The next Women's Keelboat State Championships event is, I believe, at RFBYC on the 19th of May 2018.
See you there.
Many thanks to Mike from Swan River Sailing who bumped me around the Blackwall Reach and with Andy Fethers, provided a wonderful private commentary on the day. Many thanks as ever to the volunteers of East Fremantle for the work put in to make the event happen and of course the umpires and sailors without whom we would not have had the regatta.
Enjoy the pictures and yes of course.... they are for sail> :-)